Cone type centrifugal pump



March 7, 1939. E. s. LEA

CONE TYPE CENTRIFUGAL P'UMP Rm ms Y m5 M 0 W )m d 1 .BW

March 7, 1939. LEA

cons TYPE CENTRIFUGAL PUMP Filed Aug. 13, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Edward J Lea BY ATTORNEYS March 7, 1939. E. s. LEA

CONE TYPE CENTRIFUGAL PUMP Filed Aug. 13, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I!!! I! IIIIIIQFIIIII!!! !IIvlillllrllllilllllvlllI41!!!I!!! 3: 3 f n g H u -j III lll l I BY fla 4% I $17 41 INVENTOR Edward S.I/ea

ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 7, 1939 PATENT OFFICE com: ma csmmucar. rum

Edward S. Lea, Morrisville, Pa., assignor to George Von Seebeck, New York, N. Y.

Application August 13, 1936, Serial No. 95,831

7 Claims.

My present invention relates to improvements in cone type centrifugal pumps and particularly to the provision of a pump of this character adapted for elevating liquid and projecting it in the form of a mist or spray.

This general type of pump is ideally suited for air conditioning purposes where it is usually employed for lifting water from a tank and projecting it into a flowing stream of air to wash and/or humidify the air. Such pumps have no small orifices to become clogged with dirt and are therefore capable of prolonged pumping or recirculating of water even though it may have solid impurities in it.

An object of the present invention is to provide a pump of this character designed for maximum efficiency of operation in that water may be projected with great force from the periphery of the cone without imposing an undue load on the motor which drives the pump.

Pumping cones which are devoid of water trapping vanes 01; similar devices near their peripheries permit substantial slippage of water over their surfaces and do not project a powerful spray. Prior types of pumps provided with water trapping vanes have had these vanes so arranged that the water sliding over the surface of the cone struck the vanes sharply and imposed a very substantial load on the motor.

3 One feature of my present invention is the use of vanes so curved that the water will be naturally guided into them rather than impinge violently upon them and will be projected with great force in a substantially radial direction from the 5 edge of the cone.

Another feature of the invention is the provision of a multiple cone pump capable of delivering a plurality of sprays of water at different elevations and so constructed that different cones 40 may deliver varying amounts of' water, and

sprays from different cones may be projected with varying degrees, of force.-

Another feature is the provision of a pump of this character having the cone inlets arranged 45 at different elevations to predetermine the relative amounts of water picked up by the various cone elements.

Another feature of the invention is the provision of a pump 'of this type which is of extreme- 50 ly simple, rugged, durable construction, well suited to meet the requirements of economical manufacture and convenient disassembly for purposes of cleaning, inspection or repair.

Preferably the entire pump is made of a few 55 interflttlng coating! which may be conveniently assembled and secured together by a few screws or equivalent simple standard securing devices.

-While, as above suggested, the pump of the present invention is ideally suited for use in air conditioning work and particularly for use in an air conditioning apparatus of the general character disclosed in my copending applications, Serial Nos. 755,916 and 37,847, filed respectively December 4, 1934 and August 26, 1935, it may have a wide and varied range of usefulness in other 10 fields.

The invention may be more fully understood from the following description in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein,

Fig. 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic vertical l5 sectional view through an air conditioning machine in which my improved pumping and spray- .ing unit is employed, the pumping unit being 'shown is side elevation.

Fig. 2 is a substantially enlarged vertical secgo tional view through the assembled pumping unit.

Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are .transverse sectional views on the lines 3-3, 4 4, and 5-5 respectively of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 2 25 but taken on a plane approximately at right angles to Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary plan view of a part of the vaned edge of the lower cone and,

Fig. 8 is a disassembled or exploded view of t the pumping unit.

The air conditioning unit of Fig. 1 has been shown merely to illustrate one field of usefulness for the pump. This conditioning unit is in all substantial respects similar to the units disclosed in my copending applications, Serial No. 755,916 and 37,847, filed December 4, 1934 and August 26, 1935 respectively.

It consists of a casing member i0 having an open lower end immersed in a tank of water ll. Supported on the top of the casing I0 is a base plate I! for an electric motor IS, the drive shaft ll of this motor extending downwardly into the casing and carrying a sirroco fan I5 arranged at the center of a volute air outlet passageway it. The shaft carries my improved pumping unit indicated in toto by the reference numeral II.

One cone i8 of this pump delivers a spray of water into the fan I! to be broken up into a humidifying mist and a second cone i9 is adapted to elevate water from the tank and project it. radially between the surface of the water in the tank and the bottom of the volute l6.

. Air is drawn into the machine through an inlet passageway 20 guarded by a filter II. It is u v subjected to the spray from the pumping cone or slinger 9 which maybe broken up by a screen 22. It is then drawn into the fan and projected through the spiral or volute passageway l6 where it is completely humidified and where excess moisture is centriiugally eliminated.

Tempering coils 23 are immersed in the bath of water. Water is supplied from an inlet 24. Water collecting in the bottom of the volute drains back to the bath through a pipe 25 and excess water accumulating in the bath overflows through a standpipe 26. The pumping cones draw water from a well 21 arranged in the tank and into which water flows from the tank through a valve 28, this valve being worked by an operating rod 29 thermostatically or otherwise controlled through the medium of a lever 30. The conditioning machine is not herein claimed but has been described merely to exemplify the useiulness of the pumping unit. The advantageous relationship between the pumping unit, and this particular type of apparatus will be more fully hereinafter set forth.

The pumping unit consists of four principal elements shown in disassembled relationship in Fig. 8. The innermost of these elements is a hub member 3| adapted to be secured on the drive shaft l4 and having external radial vanes or webs 32 which fit within the lower tapered end |8a of the pumping cone I8. The second member which is the cone unit I8 is provided at its lower tapered end |8a with 'external radial vanes 33 fitting within the lower tapered end |9a of the cone IS. The units 3|, l8, and I9 are preferably die-castings. The fourth element 34 comprises a conical shell member to be secured upon the top of water-trapping and spray projecting vanes 35 which are arranged near the peripheral edge of the cone |9. Shell 34serves as a guard and guide to-aid in directing water slung from the cone IS in an outward direction and preventing this water from being thrown or splashed up into the air by the vanes.

The hub casting 3| consists of an elongated hollow sleeve portion 36, the lower end of which carries the radially projecting vanes 32. The hub 36 affords an elongated bearing for the entire slinger or pump structure on the drive shaft H of the motor. One of the vanes 32 is considerably enlarged at its intermediate portion 31 and threaded holes 38 are tapped in the portion 31 so that a pair of machine screws 39 working into the holes 38 may look the hub 3| firmly on the drive shaft i4. Two of the vanes 32 'are integral at their upper ends with horizontally disposed ears or lugs having openings 4| therein for a purpose which will be later described.

The cone unit l8, above the vanes 33, tapers gradually toward its upper end. The portion I841 01' the cone affords a somewhat sharper taper and below this portion there is a cylindrical extension 42. The taper oi the portion |8a corresponds with the taper oi the vanes 32 on the hub 3| so that these vanes will snugly fit within the portion |8a.

One of the vanes 33 has its intermediate portion enlarged as at 43 and this portion, as well as the body of the cone is provided with an enlongated vertical slot 44 adapted to register with the portion 31 of the hub member 3|. Slot 44 permits free passage of the screws 39 through the cone section |8a. I

Two of the vanes 33 are integral at their upper ends with horizontally disposed ears or lugs 45 having openings 46 therein. At two points the tapering portion |8a of the cone 8 is provided with longitudinally extending indentations 41 of arcuate cross section, the innermost portions of which parallel the axis of the cone and the top walls of which afiord shoulders 48 (best ,seen in Fig. 6) which register with the lugs 43 on the hub 3|. These shoulders have openings therein through which screws 49 may be passed and screwed into the threaded openings 4| of the lugs 40. Thus cone section I8 is locked against relative longitudinal displacement with respect to hub section 3|.

The portion |9a of the lower cone section I9 is provided with indentations 50 therein corresponding to the indentations 41. These indentations provide shoulders 5| corresponding to the shoulders 48. Screws 52 passed through the shoulders 5| and into the openings 45 in the lugs 45 lock cone section l9 against axial displacement with respect to the cone section l6 which it encircles. The upper flaring mouth portion of the cone i9 tapers very sharply, whereas the taper of the section |9a follows the taper of the vanes or webs 33 on the section i8. Cone section l9 terminates at its lower end in a cylindrical portion 53.

Integral with the top of the cone section |9 and extending for a short distance inwardly from the periphery of this section area plurality of the vanes 35 above mentioned. These vanes, as best seen in Fig. 7, are not radially disposed but have their outer portions 35a inclining somewhat rearwardly from a true radial line and their inner portions 35b curving forwardly. The curvature of these vanes may be varied but the purpose of the curvature is to provide a vane which will entrap water sliding rearwardly over the surface of the cone as the cone is rotating and guide this water in a curved path to the periphery of the cone at which point it is slung radially outwardly. The curve is to minimize the impact between-the water and the vanes and to change the direction of water flow gradually instead of suddenly thereby reducing the load on the cone I9.

The annular shell 34 rests upon the top of the vanes 35 and is secured in place by screws 55 passing through openings 56 in the shell and taking into threaded openings 51 near the peripheral edge of the cone l9. The portion 9a of the cone section 9 has an elongated slot 58 therein to register with the slot 43 and the portion 31 whereby the screws 39 may be conveniently applied. Slots 43 and 58 are somewhat longer than the distance'between the screw holes 38 to accommodate for any minor variation in the adjustment of the screws 49 and 52, such as might be caused by minor flaws in casting the vanes 32, 33 or casting the conical portions |8a and |9a into which these vanes fit.

With reference to Fig. 2 it will be observed that the tapered shell section |9a terminates below the tapered shell portions |8a. Therefore, if the valve 28 is only open wide enough to permit a slow leak of water into the well 21, cone section l8 will rob the cone section |9 of water. All of the available water will then be driven up the inner surface of the cone l8 and serve to provide a humidifying mist at the region of the fan. Thus humidification of the air passing through the region may be effected without any substantial tempering of the air since there will be no water available to be projected by the lower slinger or cone I9.. It will be apparent from the u foregoing description that I have provided a cone type centrifugal pump construction involving but few parts which are capable of very ready assembly. The same principle of construction may be followed in building units having any number of pumping cones delivering varying volumes of water at various levels and travelling at varying peripheral speeds.

I claim:

1. A multiple pumping cone including a hub portion adapted to receive a vertical drive shaft, radially projecting axially extending tapered vanes on the hub, an axially elongated cone having a portion to fit over said vanes, radially projecting axially extending tapered vanes on the lower end of said cone and a second cone of lesser axial length including a portion to fit over the vanes of the first cone, said second cone having a plurality of water trapping vanes on its upper surface extending inwardly from the periphery thereof, rearwardly of the radii of the cone and then curving forward whereby water is guided between the vanes without violent inpact thereagainst and is slung violently from the periphery of the cone.

2. A multiple pumping cone including a hub portion adapted to receive a vertical drive shaft, radially projecting axially extending tapered vanes on the hub, an axially elongated cone having a portion to fit over said vanes, radially projecting axially extending tapered vanes on the lower end of said cone and a second cone of lesser axial length including a portion to fit over the vanes of the first cone, said second cone having a plurality of water trapping vanes on its upper surface extending inwardly from the periphery thereof, said vanes being curved to direct the water flowing over the surface of the cone to the periphery thereof in such a direction that violent impact of the water against the vanes is prevented and the water is flung substantially radially from the edge of thecone, a splash guard of annular dished formation overlying the vanes.

3. A multiple pumping cone including a hub portion adapted to receive a vertical drive shaft, radially projecting axially extending tapered vanes on the hub, an axially elongated cone having a portion to fit over said vanes, radially pr0- Jecting axially extending tapered vanes on the lower end of said cone and a second cone of lesser axial length including a portion'to fit over the vanes of the first cone, said second cone having a plurality of short water trapping vanes on its upper surface extending inwardly from the periphery thereof, and a dished annular splash guard only covering said water trapping vanes.

4. A multiple pumping cone including a hub portion adapted to receive a vertical drive shaft, radially projecting axially extending tapered vanes on the hub, an axially elongated cone having a portion to fit over said vanes, radially projecting axially extending tapered vanes on the lower end of said cone and a second cone of lesser axial length including a portion to fit over the vanes of the first cone, said cones having indentations therein afiording shoulders, said vanes being integral with lugs registering with the shoulders of the cones which encircle them and secured thereto whereby to prevent independent axial movement of the cones and hub.

5. A centrifugal pumping cone unit including a hub to fit on a drive shaft, a cone encircling the hub and tapering radial vertical vanes spacing the cone from the hub, a second cone to encircle the first mentioned cone and radial tapered vertical vanes spacing the cones apart, horizontal projections integral with the vanes, hub and cones adapted to be interlocked to prevent relative axial movement of the hub, vanes and cones.

6. A multiple pumping cone consisting essentially of three assembled castings, one casting comprising a hub portion adapted to receive a vertical drive shaft and radially projecting, axiallyextending tapered vanes on the hub, another casting comprising an axially elongated cone having a tapered portion telescoped over the hub to an extent limited by its engagement with said vanes, radially projecting axially extending tapered vanes on the lower end of the cone portion and a second cast cone portion of less axial length than the first cone portion and including a tapered portion telescoped over the first cone to an extent limited by the vanes of the latter, the first cone extending well above the second cone and having a maximum diameter substantially less than the diameter of the second cone, said second cone adjacent its periphery having short vanes on its upper surface determining the velocity and direction of water slung therefrom, and said first cone being devoid of such vanes.

'7. A multiple pumping cone assembly including a pair of nested pumping cones, both cones including tapered lower portions to be immersed in a bath of water, said portions nesting one with the other, the outer cone flaring widely and almost flatly above the nesting portions and the inner cone extending almost vertically upwardly well beyond the outer cone, the outer cone near its periphery having a plurality of short vanes extending inwardly from its periphery to control the velocity and direction of throw of the water handled thereby, said cones below their tapered nested portions including pendant apron portions one of which extends well below the other whereby one cone will rob the other of water when 

